Gate-latch



( o- Model.)

G. ROHRB'ACH.

GATE LATCH.

No.4661186. I Patented Dec. .29, 1891.

' Fly. 1. A 1 fill INVENTOR A TTOHNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GABRIEL ROHRBACH, OF DEL RIO, TEXAS.

GATE-LATCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 466,186, dated December29, 1891.

Application filed June 29,1891. Serial No. 397,842- (No model.)

.To coil whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, GABRIEL ROHRBACH, of Del Rio, in the county of ValVerde and State of Texas,have invented a new and useful Improvement inLatches for Gates, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

This invention relates to improvements in fastenings for gates, and hasfor its object to provide a convenient and simple device of thecharacter named which may be readily operated to fasten or release thegate, a further object being to provide a novel latchingcatch that maybe adjusted toward or from a gate on a post to be engaged by the latchproper and enable compensation to be made for spreading of the postsupon which the gate is supported and to which it is secured by thelatching device.

To these ends my invention consists in the peculiar construction andcombination of parts, as is hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forminga part ofthis specification, in which similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a gate having the improvements appliedand in closed and locked position. Fig. 2 is an enlarged front elevationof a gate and an adjacent latching-post in part with the improvementthereon, the parts being also shown in locked adjustment. Fig. 3 is anenlarged perspective view of part of the upper portion of a gate,showing the improved latching device thereon. Fig. 4 is a sectional planview of a portion of a fence-post, an improved latchplate being shownsecured thereon and engaged by the improved latching device on a gate,shown broken away and in section on the line 4 a in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is abroken perspective view of a post toward which the gate swings and animproved catch-plate in place on it; and Fig. 6 is a transverse sectionof parts of the latching device, taken on the broken line 6 6 in Fig. 2.

The improvement herein shown maybe ap plied to any swinging gate, and isespecially well adapted for use in connection with gates for yards andlarge inclosures.

A indicates a gate of moderate dimensions, and B and C the posts betweenwhich the gate is designed to swing. the post 0 by two hinges G and G,that may be of any well -approved form. Preferably said hinges areconstructed to pitch the gate sufficiently so as to cause it to swingshut when free to do so.

On the upright frame-bar A of the gate A, which represents the freevertical edge of said gate, a latching device is located, which isconnected to a bracket-plate a, that is attached to the inner face ofthe gate-bar named, which device is constructed essentially as follows:At a proper point, vertically considered, the plate a is perforated forthe sliding engagement of a bolt b, that is loosely located in anenveloping case b, the latter being firmly embedded transversely in theframe-bar A at such a point as will allow the end portion of theslide-bolt b to pass through the perforation in the plate a. The bolt bis provided The gate A is hung on with a locking-lug 12 that may slidein a longitudinal slot 19 formed in the case b, or, if rotatably movedaway from said slot, prevent the retraction of the bolt by its impingeon the end of the case b. A rocking arm E is provided which isperforated to have a loose engagement with the inwardly-projecting endof the slide-bolt I), having contact with a radial collar b on the saidbolt. (Shown in Figs. 2 and 4E.) The portion of the bolt that extendsinwardly through thearm E has a finger-piece b or other similar devicesecured on it to facilitate the manipulation of the slide-bolt when thisis desired. The rocking arm E is connected with the frame-bar A of thegate byits pivotal attachment on the bracket-plate a, the latter namedhaving two cars cl formed on its lower portion, which project therefromin vertical parallel planes and are transversely perforated to receive afulcrum-pin e, which also passes through similar perforated ears g, thatareprojected from the side edges of the rocking arm E and looselyembrace the ears (1, as shown in Figs. 2 and 6.

Between the cars (l on the pin 6 a coiled spring 7L is located, whichhas its free ends engaged with the bracket-plate a and arm E, so as tonormally project the lower portion of said arm outward. Below thepivot-pin e a tripping limb 13 is formed on the rocking arm E, whichlimb projects outward and upward for convenient manipulation, affordingmeans to draw the bolt when the limb is rocked downward, and above theslide-bolt an outwardlyinclined portion m is formed on the rocking arm Eto receive the impinge of another piece, which will be described.

On the top cross-bar A of the gate A, in the corner formed by thejunction of the side bar A and top cross-bar A a knee-plate n isfastened, and a "ertical perforation is formed therein that is extendedthrough the top bar A in which perforation a slide-bar F is located andsupported for longitudinal adjustment by the spiral spring 0, which hasone end secured to the bar F and encircles it, resting upon a perforatedbracket-block 0, through which the slide-bar passes.

Upon the lower end of the slide-barb a laterally-projected toe r isformed, the outer edge of which rests upon the inclined portion m of therocking arm E,aknobson the upper end of the bar F affording means todepress said bar, rock the arm E, and withdraw the slide-bolt b from itslatched connection with the latching-plate D.

As it is desirable that the gate be secured to the post 13 if swung ineither direetion,the latching-plate D is formed with a central stoppieceIf and two latch-hooks t and 6 formed integrally and sloping oppositely,said plate D having opposite and parallel side plates u u formedon it,that extend from the outer corners of the sloping latch-hooks t and tand are each perforated to afford two rows of holes '0 for screws. Thesaid plates at being so spaced apart that they willembrace the oppositesides of the gate-post B are adjusted thereon and secured thereto atsuch a point of lateral projection as will allow the end of theslide-bolt Z) to latch fast to either of the hooks t and 25 if the gateis opened and then swung to close it. If there should be a necessity fora change of position to compensate for spreading or closing between theposts 13 and 0, this can be readily effected, as the latch-plate D canbe moved in or out on the post 13 and be thereto secured by utilizingdifferent screw-holes o in the side plates 20.

In operation, the gate being hung on hinges that will permit it to beswung in either (lirection and engage the latch-bolt with thecatch-plate on the post 13, it will be apparent that the depression ofthe knob s will move the slide-bolt Z) and detachit from the catchplateD, and also that the vibration of the rockin g arm E may be effected bya downward manipulation of the tripping limb ithereon, so as todisengage the bolt I) from the latch-plate.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent In a gate-latch, the combination, with a slide-boltand a spring-pressed rocking arm engaging the bolt, having anoutwardly-inclined upper end, of a spring-pressed sliding bar having atoe adapted to engage the inner face of the inclined end of the rockingarm, substantially as shown and described.

GABRIEL ROIIRBAUII.

\Vitnesses:

RoB'r. (J. GALLAHEH, PETER GEIBE.

